According to Microsoft Research, the average user has about 25 accounts that require passwords. Who can remember all of those? Most of us don’t, so we make them easy for us to remember and re-use them on many sites. The risk we run with this is that, if someone guesses or steals the one or two of our passwords, they will have access to just about everything we do online. From bank accounts to social media sites, they can access it all. What can we do about it? A good strategy is to use a password manager like 1Password or KeePass.
With a password manager, you can keep a list of all your passwords and associated websites, all in one encrypted file. All you need to remember is the master passphrase, which can be as long as you want it to be. The longer the passphrase, the harder it will be for someone to guess it. You can also use the password manager to generate strong, random passwords, which don’t have to remember – you can just copy them from the password manager and paste them into the associated website. This way, your credentials are secure and you still have easy access to your favorite sites. You can also create groups of passwords – for example, a group for websites you buy from, a group for financial websites, a group for spreadsheets with passwords, etc., to keep your passwords organized.
Both 1Password and KeePass, among others, can be installed on your computer and mobile device, so you can have access to your passwords wherever you go.
Share